EZZY

at least he was able to finish the race yesterday (#17) & thats a good sign (still got **** loads to do before round 2 @ Spang)

EZZY

spotted a silver rx8 with numberplate ERX8(or similar...) on st kila road near domain interchange this afernoon at about 5.30-ish having a faulty drivers side taillights.... dont know whos car it is, otherwise i'd PM him or her instead.

azzaboynt

Why is it that laptop computers belonging to sales reps only have a 8-14 month lifespan before they get smashed or run over by cars?

I had one rep saying "I don't know what happened to the laptop. it just stopped working." It was squiched down the middle with a big tyre mark on the squished part... We have 20 reps and I've purchased 39 laptops for them in the past 2 years.

Tim Tam

Well even Kal would need a competitive car.........

Cromax

That's because once they're a year old, they get placed behind the car and driven over in their driveway.

Other techniques are throwing them down staircases and playing soccer with them.

EZZY

thats because they dont own the lappy..... i dont realy care about my work laptop... if it gets dropped, it gets dropped , and its time for a replacement.

Cromax

They're disposable items in any case ... you use them until they're broken or superceeded to the extent where using it is inefficient and buy a new one.

Heck, the only reason I bought my new notebook is because the other one literally blew up ...

Revolver

How about a carrot and stick approach?

Provide an incentive to look after them. Maybe a bonus or something like that.

Similarly, impose a penalty if the damage is obviously due to a failure to take proper care of it.

The message will get through that it's worth their while to look after the things.

Not caring about expensive equipment is a crap attitude. It adds to the price of everything we pay for.

Cromax

Yeah, make them pay for the whole unit if it's due to operator neglect.

azzaboynt

Tried the carrot n stick, but was shotdown in flames by the company directors.

Now I get them the lowest spec model, and our network software makes sure the laptops are reimaged remotely every 7 days so if they have any personal stuff on it, it gets wiped. Yes I'm a supergeek and a control freak when it comes to equipment that falls within my sphere of influence.

You should see how well they take care of their company cars. Ever seen a car run over by a laptop before?

Cromax

LOL ... no, but the question is: Have you?

Rotor Convert

I have a company lappie and i am a rep...and yes i have wrecked only one lappie in 5 years...i spilt a cup of tea into the keyboard...it's smoked for a while...called my dad the super geek and he suggested i put a tea towel on the keyboard close the lappie and put it upside down to drain the tea out. Then i set to it with a hair dryer and amazingly with some help from an it boffin at work it lived again.

I do look after mine but it's a DELL and I don't like them. Our home one is a TOshi and it;s way better!

My company car is the 8 so needless to say it's spotless and well groomed! It's all about image. IF you have a dirty car and your customer sees you in it then they make an assumption about you. We have to keep ours clean it's part of our yearly appraisal that is done 4 times a year. Dirty car means less $$ that works. Your company directors don't look at this topic from the right angle. Apathy breeds apathy. If the rep is underperforming and flattens their lappy and has a dirty car...well in my book sack em! Harsh but fair!

Rotor Convert

Well I test drove a Mini Cooper S chili today. Nice little car. But not like the 8. Can't really compare the 8 to anything hey. Not same driving position, cockpit feel or raw feedback....

On the plus side.

Quiet tyres
Go kart handling with slightly less harsh, noisy ride
Better vision
Quirky looks
Nice touches, ignition, indicators and a few other things
Revvy engine like an Alfa should be, no turbo lag
DSC TC less aggressive than the 8, computer said no less

On the not so plus side

Seat was disappointing
Driver position in relation to the wheel was a little odd can't put my finger on why
Grabby brakes
Interior centre speedo was a little garish after a while
Didn't have the same get into it feel that the 8 does
There is very little boot
Back seats just add weight to the car noone can sit in them if they have legs!
Grippy tyres that don't make humming noise....this ***** me about the 8 really...crapola standard rubber.....anyone know anything about Conti's??


I drove this car like it was stolen, i was in my own little Italian job. The young salesman said it was the most exciting drive he had ever had! I think that was because getting used to the brakes I nearly had him through the windscreen! They are really touchy and in the end i was only using my big toe to press the pedal.!!


If I could keep the 8 for weekends I might just consider one of these puppies! But hey there are still 12 months for me to think about this. In that time Mazda might put out an newer 8!! Turboed or something and then that would be my choice.....

I only drove the car cause I am crapped off with my job and needed to cheer myself up......it made me smile and go back to work so that was a positive!

Revolver

I test drove the Mini back in '04 before buying the 8 and came to similar conclusions. Fun little thing but more novelty value than an enduring passion. I found out that most are sold within a couple of years - people just get bored with them.

I'd suggest it's not a practical daily driver if you want to carry a third or fourth person from time to time and have crap to carry as well.

Still, as an inveterate test driver, I agree this kind of thing is fun to do. Pity there's no young sales women to impress huh?

Rotor Convert

You crack me up......bet they would sell a lot of cars tho!

Revolver

Damn it's hot here today.

Was up at 5.30 and did some work for a couple of hours (I know you all think I don't do anything, so there) then had to pitch in to help get the female mini-terrorist's b'day party sorted. A million kids running around from 10.30 till 12.30. Coached my mock trial team this arvo and now it's off to 'er indoors' school reunion (she's shitting herself ). Rello rally tomorrow.

I need a drive somewhere...

azzaboynt

saturday-hot.
sunday-cold

glad to know nature is keeping us on our toes

EZZY

last friday - f'ing hot (shops & movie FTW)
last sat - f'ing wet (yarra valley was WET!)
last sun - typical melb day

Furymax

Move to Brisbane !!

Warm and sunny all the time, just nothing much in the way of restaurants, events or culture up here.

Have a good one
FURY

takahashi

Melb is not that bad.

Low 20s is what I like.

Rain tomorrow, rather than sometimes in the tropic when it is hot and humid.

Me stop

Cromax

OMG, it's raining tomorrow?!

That's so good! My car gets washed then! :D

Rotor Convert

Raining and cold here tomorrow.

We give Melbourne all our best weather!!

Will be in Melbourne on Friday and possibly over the weekend.

Will keep my eyes peeled for 8's

Ciao' amigos

Cromax

You must be joking! Adelaide weather is way better than Melbourne weather!

I just like the rain over the sun ... call me bizarre, but I prefer sitting in front of a fire roasting marshmallows to sunbaking.